Electrical translation apparatus



Sept. 23, 1947. D. E. NORGAARD ELECTRICAL TRANSLATION APPARATUS FiledJune 12, 1943 Inventor: l Donald. ENoraard,

'torn ey.

Patented Siep-t. 23, 1794.7

ELECTRICAL TRANSLATION APPARATUS Donald E. Norgaard, Schenectady, N. Y.,assignor to General vElectric Company, a Acorporation oi New YorkApplication June 12, 1943, Serial No. 490,625

9 Claims. l

My invention relates to electrical translation apparatus and moreparticularly to apparatus for translating a unidirectional potentialsubject 'to variations .in intensity and polarity to a unidirectionalvoltage of any desired greater intensity but subject to the Vsamerelative variations in intensity and polarity.

An object of my invention-is to provide improved means for eiecting.suc-h translation of unidirectional potentials.

A further Aobject of my invention is to provide improved means forconverting variable alternating potentials subject to polarity reversalsto unidirectional potentials having corresponding variations inintensity and having polarity corresponding to the polarity of saidalternating potential.

A further .object of -my invention is to provide means for .electingthese objects, which means is simple in its circuit structure, andYwhich is economical to construct and to operate.

The novel features which I believe to rbe characteristic of my inventionare .set forth with .particularity in the appended claims. My inventionitself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation,together with further ob- `liects and advantages thereof, may best .beunderstood by reference to the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing in which the single ligure represents anembodiment of my invention.

I have illustrated my invention as 'comprising a part of a radio echo.apparatus in which a unidirectional potential is produced betweencertain conductors l by echo translative equipment rep- ,resented by therectangle 2. This potential may have an intensity and polarity dependentupon the direction of a remote target with respect to the axis of aparabolic reflector 3 having within it an antenna 4 from which pulses'are radiated and upon which echoes from remote targets are received. Itis -des'ired to translate such unidirectional voltages, which may be ofcomparatively small magnitude, to larger unidirectional voltagesappearing `between a conductor 5 and ground B subject to the .samevariations in intensity and polarity and which 'are suitable for thecontrol of a cathode ray indicating device 1.

Interposed between the conductors land the conductors 5 and 6 nis thetranslation equipment comprising the network including electrondischarge devices 8 and 9, amplier i0, and the 4network includingrectifier devices ll and l2. The discharge Vdevices 8 and 9 operate tosupply to the 'discharge device lll an alternating upotential havingmagnitude variable in accordance with the Variations in the potentialbetween conductors l and having polarity reversible in accordance withthe -reversals .of polarity Aof the potential between conductors l. Thisa1- ternating potential is amplied lby the amplifier l0, whichpreferably is of the high .impedanceconf- *stant anode current type,having screen and suppressor grid electrodes, and is supplied to the'rectiying network .comprising discharge .devices Ysil and 122 lwhere itis converted toa unidirectional potential between conductors 5 and .6having in tensity ,and polarity variations reproducing exactly thevariations in the potential between con ductors l but being .of anydesired greater intensity.

4At I5 is `represented ya ysource of alternating current, which may beof any Vdesired frequency,

,and the voltage .of which is supplied .to aY limiter I6., whichpreferably squares the alternating current potential, to -producesimilar square waves of .thesame polarity on y,conductors Hand il'.Arlfhis square wave alternating electromotive force is supplied throughcondenser ill to the rectiiication `network comprising the ydiodes I :l,and 1:2 and ,also throughcondenser I9 tothe control electrode .of the:discharge device 9.

The anode of the ,discharge device i9 is con- .nected to an intermediatepoint on resistance A2i), which is included in the .anode circuit oi thedischarge device .8. The cathodes -of these itwo discharge devices 8 and9 are connected through a common cathode resistor 23 ,to ground and tothe negative terminal of the `source of anode operating `potential 24.Preferably the discharge device 9 passes a larger ,anode 1current thandoes the discharge device 8 and when it is conducting, as -w-hen thevoltage applied to the control electrede thereof from conductor Ell ispositive, `it passes suiiici-ent 'current through resistance :23 .topreclude the .flow `of current in device B; 4that is. it renders .thecathode -of devicez :suiiciently positive with respect tothe controlelect-rode thereof to interrupt the flow of :anode -.current in thatdevice. The potential at point .24 with respect to ground is then.determined by :the current 2*which allows through device -9 and theAlower por- -tion of resistance 2D. VWhen the control electrode 4,ofdevice 9 is negative with respect tothe cathode, as during thenegativehalf cycle iof the alternating potential from conductor il', current :in:the device `Si is interrupted and current then flows fin `device 8 andthe potential .at ipci-nt 24 is deter- ,.mined by the :current flowingthrcughzrdcvice `8 and the `whole .of lresistante :The avaluesiof thesecurrents and the point on resistance 20 to which the anode of device 9is connected may be made such that no alternating potential exists atthe point 24 with respect to ground for any given value ofunidirectional potential between conductors I. Usually this value iszero although this adjustment may be made for any other value of controlvoltage. The result is that no alternating potential is ampliiied by thedevice I0. Under this condition, as will presently be seen, nounidirectional potential exists between conductors 5 and 6.

If the control electrode of device 8 is varied in potential in thepositive direction, device 8 passes more current when conducting withthe result that an alternating potential appears at point 24 having acertain phase and polarity relationship to the potential of the sourceI5. Ii the potential of the control electrode of device 8 is varied inthe opposite direction, as in the negative sense, then this devicepasses less current when conducting and an alternating potential appearsat the point 24 which is opposite in polarity to the potential producedin the first instance. Of course the value of this alternating potentialcorresponds to the value of the potential between conductors I. Thus theunidirectional potential of device I is translated to an alternatingpotential between point 2li' and ground having intensity variationscorresponding to the intensity variations of the source I and haVing onephase or the opposite phase dependent upon the direction of thevariation of the potential between conductors I.

As previously indicated the alternating potential between point 24 andground may be zero when the voltage between conductors I is zero and mayhave polarity corresponding to the polarity of the voltage betweenconductors I, or it may be zero when the potential between conductors Iis of any other value and have polarity corresponding to the directionin which the potential varies from such value.

The network comprising the devices 8 and 9, and the resistance 20 isthus seen to be balanced with respect to the voltage of the source I5when the voltage between conductors I has a certain desiredpredetermined value, and this alternating voltage varies in intensityand phase in accordance with the variations of the unidirectionalvoltage between conductors I from such desired value.

This alternating voltage at point 24' is supplied through condenser 26to the control electrode of the discharge device I by which it isamplified and supplied through condenser 21 to the cathode of the diodeII.

The network comprising the diodes II and I2 comprises a second networkbalanced with respect to the alternating potential from the source I5.Diodes II and I2 comprise two rectifiers, the diode I I having a loadresistance 28 and the diode I2 having a load resistance 29. These diodeseach rectify the voltage supplied thereto from limiter I6 to produceopposing unidirectional voltage on the resistances 28 and 29. In theabsence of any voltage from the amplifier I0 these voltages onresistances 28 and 29 are equal and zero voltage exists betweenconductors and 6. When alternating voltage is supplied by amplifier IB,however, it is supplied only to the cathode of the rectifier II and notto rectiiier I2. Thus the balance oi this network is disturbed and avoltage appears between conductors 5 and -I 5. Capacitance 3l is presentbetween these conapplication.

ductors to smooth any variation in this voltage occurring at thefrequency of source I5 or at higher frequencies. This capacitance may bethat of a single condenser connected between conductors 5 and 6 or thatoi diierent condensers connected across resistances 28 and 29individually. The polarity of this voltage is dependent upon thepolarity relationship between the alternating potential supplied throughcondenser 21 to diode II and that supplied through condenser I8 to thediode II. If these two potentials are of like polarity, i. e. if theanode and cathode of device II are varied in the same sense, the currentflowing in the diode II and through resistances 28 and 30 is reducedwith the result that the potential on conductor 5 becomes positive withrespect to ground. If the potential supplied through condenser 21 isopposite in polarity to that supplied through condenser I8, then thecurrent in diode I I is increased and conductor 5 becomes negative withrespect to ground. Of course, the extent to which conductor 5 becomespositive or negative with respect to ground is dependent upon theintensity of the voltage supplied through condenser 21 by the amplierI0.

The result is that the potential between conductors 5 and 6 is subjectto the same variations as those present in the potential betweenconductors I and has corresponding polarity. This output potential,however, may be made as great as magnitude of poten- I6 to the networkII, I2, 28, 29, and the voltage output of device I0.

As shown in the drawing, this potential may, if

desired, be supplied between the horizontal plates 33 of a cathode raydevice. The vertical plates are supplied with a corresponding potentialfrom la similar equipment represented by the rectanvgle 34 whichresponds to a unidirectional potential between conductors 35. Thus, forexample, the potential between conductors I may vary in -accordance withthe orientation of the axis of reector 3 with respect to the remotetarget in azimuth, and the potential between conductors 35 may vary inaccordance with this orientation in elevation. In this way the ray ofthe cathode ray device may be caused to deiiect over the screen thereofin accordance with the position of the remote target with respect to theaxis of the reflector 3 thereby to indicate the direction of such remotetargets. If desired, the alternating potential suppliedv from thenetwork 8, 9, 20, 26

may be .supplied` over conductor 40 to suitable motor mechanism 4I torotate the antenna 3 in azimuth, and similar potential may be supplied-from the equipment 34 to motor mechanism 42 torotate the reflector 3 inelevation thereby to lmaintain the axis of the parabola 3 directed at ithe remote target during movements either of the 60Y equipment describedis carried.

remote tar-get or of the craft upon which the The network 8, 9, I5, 20,23 of my present in- 'vention is described and claimed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 468,406, iiled December 9, 1942,.entitled Pulsecontrol system which is assigned to the same assignee as my present Mypresent application is a continuation-in-part of that application.

. While I have shown a particular embodiment of `my invention, it will,of course, be understood -that I do not wish to be limited thereto sincedifferent modifications both in the circuit arvrangement 'and in theinstrumentalities employed may be made, and I contemplate by theappended claims to cover any such modications as fall within the truespirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is:

l. In combination, a pair of networks connected in cascade, means tosupply alternating potential to both networks and means to supplyunidirectional potential variable in either direction from apredetermined value to one network to be reproduced at the output of theother network with polarity corresponding to the direction of variationfrom said predetermined value, said first network including means tosupply alternating potential to said other network with polaritycorresponding to the polarity of said unidirectional potential and saidother network including means to produce unidirectional potential ofpolarity corresponding to the polarity of the alternating potentialsupplied by the first network.

2. In combination, a pair of networks connected in cascade, means tosupply alternating potential to both networks and means to supplyunidirectional potential variable in either direction from apredetermined value to one network to be reproduced at the output of theother network with polarity corresponding to the direction of variationfrom said predetermined value, both networks being balanced with respectto said alternating potential to produce zero output when saidunidirectional potential is of a desired value, and said first networkbeing unbalanced by variation of said unidirectional potential to supplyto said other network alternating potential of polarity corresponding tothe direction of said variation, and said other network includingunbalancing means responsive to said polarity to produce unidirectionalpotential at its output corresponding to the direction of variation ofsaid first mentioned unidirectional potential.

3. In combination, a source of unidirectional potential variable ineither direction from a predetermined value, means to produce analternating potential having one polarity or the opposite polarity inaccord with the direction in which said potential varies, and meansresponsive to said alternating potential to produce a unidirectionalpotential having magnitude greater than said rst unidirectionalpotential and having polarity corresponding to the direction ofvariation of said first unidirectional potential from said predeterminedvalue.

4. In combination, a source of alternating voltage, a pair of rectiersconnected to rectify said voltage and to supply equal and oppositevoltages to a common output circuit, means to produce a secondalternating voltage of the same frequency and phase and having eitherthe same polarity as said rst voltage or opposite polarity, and means tosupply said second voltage to one of said rectiiiers to aid or opposesaid first voltage as applied thereto.

5. In combination, a pair of sources of alternating voltage, saidvoltages being of the same frequencyand phase and one of saidvoltagesbeing subject to polarity reversal in accord with variations of anindependent variable, a pair of rectifiers having outputs connected inopposed relation in a common output circuit, means to supply the voltageof the other of said sources to both of said rectiers for rectificationthereby and to supply the voltage of the said one source to one of saidrectifiers to increase or decrease the output 6 thereof in accord withthe polarity relation between said two sources, whereby a unidirectionalpotential exists in said common output circuit having polaritycontrolled by said independent variable.

6. In combination, a source of alternating voltage, a pair of rectifiersconnected to rectify said voltage and to supply equal and oppositevoltages to a common output circuit, means to produce a secondalternating voltage of the same frequency and having voltage peaksoccurring simultaneously with voltage peaks of said first alternatingvoltage, said peaks being of either the same polarity as said rstvoltage or opposite polarity, and means to supply said second voltage toone of said rectiers to aid or oppose said first voltage as appliedthereto.

'7. In combination, a source of alternating voltage, a pair of rectiiersconnected to rectify said rst voltage and to supply equal and oppositevoltages to a common output circuit, means to produce a secondalternating voltage of the same frequency and including a voltagecomponent with peaks occurring simultaneously with voltage peaks of saidrst alternating voltage of either the same or opposite polarity, andmeans to supply said second alternating voltage to one of said rectiiersto selectively aid or oppose said iirst alternating voltage inaccordance with the polarity of said component only as applied thereto.

8. In combination, a source of alternating voltage, a pair of rectifiersconnected to rectify said voltage andV to supply equal and oppositevoltages to a common output circuit, means to produce a secondalternating voltage of the same frequency and having voltage peaksoccurring simultaneously with voltage peaks of said rst alternatingvoltage of either the same or opposite polarity, and means to supplysaid second voltage to one of said rectiers to proportionately andselectively aid or oppose said first alternating voltage in accordancewith the relative intensities and polarities respectively of saidalternating voltages.

9. In combination, a pair of sources of alternating voltage, saidvoltages being of the same frequencyand phase and one of saidvoltagesbeing subject to polarity reversals and intensity variations in accordwith variations of an independent variable, a pair of rectifiers havingoutputs connected in opposed relation in a common output circuit, meansto supply the voltage of the other of said sources to both of saidrectiers for rectification thereby and to supply the voltage of the saidone source to one of said rectiers to proportionately increase ordecrease the output thereof in accord with the polarity and intensityrelation between said two sources, whereby a unidirectional potentialexists which is controlled in intensity by the intensity of saidindependent variable and in polarity by the relative polarities of saidtwo sources.

DONALD E. NORGAARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,194,516 Anderson Mar. 26, 19402,192,022 Wills Feb. 27, 1940

